Monday

Jun 3, 2019 at 4:20 PMJun 3, 2019 at 6:43 PM

In a plea bargain with the state, defendant Rodney Scott pleaded guilty to the eight separate charges, including five counts of statutory sex offense with a minor and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor. All the incidents, which occurred in Cumberland County between 2003 and 2016, involved 13- to 16-year olds.

Before he shuffled out of the courtroom in a disheveled Cumberland County Detention Center orange jumpsuit, Rodney Scott stood and waited for Cumberland County Sheriff's deputies to handcuff him.

His back was to the courtroom.

Senior resident Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons on Monday afternoon had just sentenced the 53-year-old former youth basketball coach and Cumberland County Schools employee to up to 29 years in prison on eight counts of sex crimes against minors.

"In a case like this," Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West later would say, "it will get closer to the maximum."

In a plea bargain with the state, Scott pleaded guilty to the eight separate charges, including five counts of statutory sex offense with a minor and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor. All the incidents, which had occurred in Cumberland County, involved 13- to 16-year olds.

If Scott's case had reached trial, he could have faced life without the possibility of parole.

As part of the agreement, Scott also must register as a sex offender for at least 30 years and cannot have contact, either directly or indirectly, with his victims.

"He's not to have any contact," Ammons said with emphasis.

Likewise, the court does not recommend work release.

As for judicial findings, Ammons entered the judgement that "these crimes were sexually violent offenses."

He said the court clearly understands the problems and circumstances that go into a plea of this type, including the witnesses, victims and the needs of society.

"The court finds this plea is in the best interest of the state and victims," Ammons said, "and accepts it in accordance and orders that it be recorded."

West said afterward that had the case gone to trial, it would have been a long process.

"We have justice," the district attorney said. "We have guilty pleas. We have justice for the victims. There have been many, many lives affected."

Scott, who committed the string of sex crimes between 2003 and 2016, did not express remorse in the courtroom after agreeing to the plea bargain.

"This is your opportunity to say anything that you want to," Ammons told Scott. "You're not compelled to say anything, but I would be happy to listen to anything you want to say to the court, to the public at large, to the victims, your family, to their family. Anything you want to say."

Scott declined.

"Your honor," Scott said. "No, not really, your honor."

In muffled tones, Scott appeared to tell the judge he could not find the words.

"Nothing to say to anybody?" Ammons asked again, followed by a long gap of silence.

A stern-faced Ammons peered straight at Scott.

"I just struggle to keep it together, sir." Scott said. "I'd rather not."

Prosecutors told Ammons that Scott's victims were willing to testify, but that a court trial would re-victimize them. The boys and at least one girl were young teens at the time Scott was charged with abusing them.

"We struggled with this decision," Thompson said. "We struggled with justice for these victims. ... We decided after speaking with a consultant, this was the way to go."

Scott admitted guilt to abusing his victims in a variety of ways, including touching their genitalia and engaging in oral and anal sex, often during assaults that occurred in his bedroom.

Scott was charged in 2016 and 2017 with multiple sex crimes. More than 100 of the charges relate to a single alleged victim, who came forward to police in 2017 after an initial round of stories broke about Scott's charges.

Scott worked as a substitute teacher from 1997 to 2010 and was a safe schools coordinator at Pine Forest High School between 2011 and 2013. He also worked with a Fayetteville Police Department program that sought to reduce gang violence.

He coached Amateur Athletic Union basketball players and started a basketball chapter of U.S. Specialty Sports Association.

Staff writer Myron B. Pitts contributed to this report.

Staff writer Michael Futch can be reached at mfutch@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3529.

[Former coach Rodney Scott accused of 105 additional sex crimes]

[Police seeking additional victims of ex-coach accused of more than 170 sex crimes]

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